In U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,137 granted June 27, 1989, a high density magazine for electrical connectors and components is taught featuring the use of a thin polyvinyl chloride which is vacuum formed. The package is assembled from two outer members which are essentially identical and which have cavities into which the components are fitted. The components disclosed are connectors having a body with rows of terminals extending therefrom which are held suspended within a given cavity by portions of the package which engage the lower edge surfaces of the component bodies.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,407 granted June 9, 1987, an alternative package is taught for carrying components such as card edge connectors for use with automatic storage and retrieval systems. This particular package is termed a tray and is vacuum formed using a thin polyvinyl chloride as a material formed to define channels which receive connectors with the terminals thereof made to straddle projections from the bottom of the package and be confined by engagement with the top of the package in a manner allowing the components to slide along the package for loading and unloading.
It is important with respect to both the foregoing that the packages be lightweight and allow a high density packaging of components and yet be structurally strong to avoid crushing of such components upon stacking of packages or due to any twisting or tendency of the packages to become crushed in their use of transporting connectors or components from their place of manufacture to the place of use.
While the packages detailed in the above-mentioned patents function quite well to serve the intended purpose for the particular components shown, the use of, in essence, three layers of packaging material, as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,137, adds both cost of material and cost of handling to the package relative to its assembly and use. With respect to components such as connectors having relatively long, fragile legs spaced relatively close together, the package of U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,407 in which the bottom and the top portions are vacuum formed, has proven difficult for use with such connector components due essentially to the difficulties of vacuum or thermal forming of thin sheet materials by the vacuum or heat or both such processes.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a package for components which facilitates loading and unloading and which can be rendered utilizing less material for a given function than heretofore available. It is a further object to provide a package which facilitates a sliding engagement of components carried therein wherein the components have relatively long, fragile leg elements disposed in rows spaced relatively close together. It is a still further object to provide a package containing channels having solid rail sections therein facilitating the mounting of components for sliding engagement therewith.